


Just Got More Complicated

by Christy (wildchild)



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Crossing Jordan
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-06-02
Updated: 2013-06-02
Packaged: 2017-12-13 18:52:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,773
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/827646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wildchild/pseuds/Christy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There's a new assistant Medical Examiner at the Boston Coroner's Office.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything Buffy/Angel related, or even Crossing Jordan, though lord knows I wouldn't mind a couple of hours alone with Nigel, but that's another story.  
  
 **Author's Note:** Okay, total AU world here. Pretty much, everything past Angel Season 1 episode Five by Five generally didn't happen, but they did find Fred, no Connor, and Cordelia didn't have to get part demon to handle the visions. Any other AUage will be explained by the dialogue. As relates to CJ, it takes place in Season 5 before Loves Me Not (in other words, she and Woody haven't gotten together yet), but I kinda fudged the dating a lil bit...prolly about 2009 or so...so shoot me, 'kay?  
  
  
  
Jordan Cavanaugh walked into work whistling. Pollack had awoken her with coffee and kisses, which had lead to more then kisses, not that she was complaining. She swung into the lab to ask Nigel how things were progressing on their current cases and he chuckled at the look on her face.  
  
"Enjoy yourself, eh, luv?" he chuckled.  
  
"Oh yes, definitely. So what's on the menu for today?" she quizzed him.  
  
"New assistant medical examiner," Dr. Garrett Macy informed them, indicating the dark haired woman beside him. "This is Faith Wilkins. She just transferred here from LA, where she was interning with the coroner's office there. Faith, this is Dr. Nigel Townsend, our main criminologist; Dr. Maresh, but we call him Bug- he's our entomologist; and this is Jordan Cavanaugh. Jordan, she'll be your shadow for the next two weeks until she gets the hang of how things work here, since she's probably used to the faster pace of the West Coast," he informed her.  
  
Faith chuckled as Garrett left for his office. When Jordan looked at her questioningly, Faith explained. "I actually grew up in Boston; moved away when I was 15, but now I'm back," she said with a smile. "So, what do you want me to do, because Dr. Macy already showed me around a bit." She glanced over at Nigel, a smirk on her face. "My friend Willow's more of the computer geek then me, but she taught me a thing or two. I could give you a...hand if you wanted," she said flirtatiously as Nigel grinned.  
  
"Would so enjoy it, luv, but I've got a backlog right now. Maybe I could show you the ropes later on."  
  
"Sounds good to me," Faith responded as a tall brunette man walked into the lab.  
  
"Hey gang. Hate to break things up so early, but we've got a vic on Massachusetts Avenue in Chester Park. Could use your help," he said with a smile, which widened when he caught sight of Faith. "Hello. You must be new here."  
  
"Sure is, Woody. This is Faith, the new assistant medical examiner. Faith, this is Woody, my- he's a detective with the Boston PD," Jordan explained brusquely.  
  
Faith frowned at Jordan's about face, but decided to leave it along for the time being. She was here to help Angel out for giving her back her life. The Scoobies could always use more law enforcement contacts, but her record, even just the unsealed portions, was enough for rejection from most local departments. So she just smiled at Woody as she and Jordan headed for the van.  
  
*******  
  
They got to the scene and Faith started taking pictures of the scene. The victim was a young girl, probably no more than 22. Shell casings were everywhere and she noted that the victim had been shot at least 6 times, but they would have to wait until the autopsy to determine the trajectory of the bullets.  
  
"Well, Jordan seems busy, so I'll tell you what I know so far. Victim's name was Katrina Wise, age 24 from Baltimore and apparently up here for law school. I'll call her parents in a minute to find out what else I can," Woody told her.  
  
"Not that I mind, as long as we get the information, but shouldn't you be telling Jordan all this? She is the senior ME on scene."  
  
Woody looked uncomfortable, then angry. "What the hell is he doing here? Hey, Pollack, what did I tell you about crime scenes?" he yelled, getting up and marching over to a man standing on the other side of the crime scene tape.  
  
"Look, Detective, I just came by to inform my _girlfriend_ that I'll be out of town on assignment for a few days. You think you could make sure she knows?" JD asked with a grin.  
  
Faith finished up with her part of the scene, put her equipment back in the van, then leaned up against it to watch the show. If she'd known it was going to be this entertaining...and she'd thought that the British computer guy would be the most luscious one to drool over. Just then, Jordan stormed over, arms full of equipment and samples, dumping them in, but being careful not to disturb them. "Nigel said he'd be along in a minute; he's finishing up with some tests first. I called him to let him know we were done with the initial scene processing."  
  
"Okay, sure. So, um, what's with you and Woody? I only ask because of the fact that he told me the basics on the victim," Faith explained, filling the other woman in. "Well, that and then he had to hassle Pollack, who said to tell you that he'll be out of town on assignment for the next few days."  
  
"Why is he messing with JD again?" Jordan said, exasperated.  
  
Faith eyed the white knuckles as Jordan drove them back to the lab. "Uh, J, everything all right?"  
  
"Huh? Oh yeah. Sorry, just trying to figure this case out- I tend to do that a lot, or so I'm told." She turned to look at Faith. "She had her whole life in front of her. Why would someone want to shoot her?"  
  
"I wish I knew. If I could, I'll help Nigel out when he gets back and just let you and Dr. Macy handle the autopsy...unless you want me there?"  
  
"No, go ahead and help Nigel with the research," Jordan said absently.  
  
*******  
  
Woody came into the lab a couple hours later to find Faith bent over one of the computers, face pursed in concentration.  
  
"Hey, Jordan said you might want these," he said, making her look up and rub at her eyes.  
  
"Sorry...too much time staring at the screen. What's this?"  
  
"Background check on our victim," he explained as Nigel walked in.  
  
"Hey, Woody. Faith. Katrina Wise's life in black and white?"  
  
"Yup. Very interesting life for someone of her age," Woody commented as Faith started scanning the content of the folder. Nigel has put a hand on her shoulder so he could read too, so he was the only one who felt her start from something she'd just read. Wanting to know what it had been, he browsed through the dossier.  
  
 **Name:** Katrina Anne Wise  
  
 **Birthdate:** June 7, 1984  
  
 **Hometown:** Baltimore, Maryland  
  
And on it went, mentioning her schooling and that she was on scholarship from a law firm called Wolfram & Hart, based out of LA, but they had offices all over the country, including one right here in Boston.  
  
"So she was a law student? Where was she for her senior internship?" Faith asked, though she'd already guessed the answer.  
  
"Wolfram & Hart's branch office here. Why? You have any dealing with them?" Woody asked eyeing her a little suspiciously.  
  
"Something like that," she said with a smirk. "A friend of mine who helped pay my way through college and med school was a PI who had some...run ins with them. Just recognized the name."  
  
"Ah. Well, I'm back to the perps and paperwork at the precinct. Just wanted to drop this off and be sure to tell Jordan I said hi."  
  
"He could talk to her himself once in a while," Niles muttered behind her.  
  
"Huh? Oh, those two? How long have they been tiptoeing around each other?"  
  
"Years," Niles said dryly, then zeroed in on the fact that Faith was still preoccupied with whatever so concerned her about their latest victim. But it was soon going to get even more interesting after they got the autopsy results.


	2. Chapter 2

"So you don't know what was going on, only that it looks like she died of shock and fear rather than the half a dozen holes in her?" Garrett said to Jordan, a skeptical note in his voice.  
  
"I won't know for sure until I get the results from the blood work Faith's doing," she explained.  
  
"Well, she's been here for a couple of days now. What do you think of her? Instinctively, I mean. You've always been one to follow your hunches," Garrett queried.  
  
"She seems hardworking, tough, but it's like there's something about her you'll never know, or never understand would say it better," Jordan said thoughtfully as Faith walked into her office.  
  
"Here's the test results you wanted, Dr. Cavanaugh," Faith said, handing it to the other woman.  
  
Jordan handed the folder to Dr. Macy. "See what I mean? See the adrenal spike there? But how do you die of fright?"  
  
"Wish I knew, but I'm off for home. I'll catch you two later," Faith said cheerfully, to cover the itch that was developing between her shoulders. She'd call Angel for advice and maybe work off her tension with a little slayage.  
  
*******  
  
She wasn't happy. Angel was still dealing with Wolfram & Hart's crap nearly a decade later but he told her he'd look into it. Until then, all she could do was wait. She hated waiting- even now at the mature age of 29. She and Buffy were still two of the oldest Slayers ever living. Thankfully, you aged slower as a Slayer, so she only looked about 25 or so, which was a bonus for picking up vamps, like she was getting ready to do now. It being a strange city, where she didn't know any police to trust just yet, her main method was to flirt with the vamp, bring him to her room, and dust him and any "friends" she could encourage them to bring along. Didn't work really well with the older vamps, but she'd dusted quite a few baby vamps that way. And, by the time she was done dusting them, she was usually jonesing for some dick. Some nights she found it; others, she had to settle for her nice, thick nine inch vibrator. But she much preferred the real deal.  
  
She chuckled to herself about the inept newbie in front of her. But his eyes had lit up when she'd seductively asked if he'd follow her back to her hotel. It only took her twenty minutes, long enough to work up a good sweat, then she was off to a decent club to dance and bring someone home to bang. She smirked as she lost herself in the grinding bass and thought about change. _I have a great job, friends who are there for me, but I still need these one night stands and my leather pants. Hell, Angel bought me a couple new pairs after I distracted those two Haksos demons long enough for him to cut off their tails. Speaking of tail, that's a nice one there._  
  
The man in question was built much like Riley Finn had been back when she'd switched bodies with Buffy. Then he turned around- it was Riley.  
  
"Well, well, Riley Finn. How has life been for you?" she asked with a laugh as she walked over to him.  
  
He looked over and smiled. "I'm sorry. Have we met? My late wife was always introducing us around. I never could remember everyone's names."  
  
 _Hmm. Guess I'll save the apologizing for later. Need to do it, but if he doesn't even remember me, do I still have to?_ she asked herself. Sending a silent apology to the Powers for her hormones wanting precedence over atonement, she stuck out her hand. "Yeah, something like that. I'm Amelia, but my friends call me Amy," she said, using her middle name.  
  
"Pleased to meet you. Can I buy you a drink?"  
  
"Sure thing," Faith agreed with a smile.  
  
They finished their drinks and Faith suggested they blow that popsicle stand.  
  
*******  
  
Faith lay back in bed, grinning. _Finn has definitely only gotten better with age,_ she thought, looking over at his sleeping form. She was tempted to just leave but knew that her nice shiny new conscious that Angel and her own guilt had drilled into her wouldn't let her. So she wrote a quick note, hoping that she wasn't going to make things worse. It was just weird that they'd run into each other, since he was apparently on his way home to Iowa and had just stopped in Boston from a layover from Germany. Faith looked up into the heavens as she walked out of the hotel. _You guys up there tryin' to tell me somethin'?_ she thought as she drove home. Once home, she crashed on her bed headfirst and let sleep claim her, even if only for a couple hours. Her alarm woke her at 8 and she quickly grabbed a shower then a double espresso from the corner bistro before stumbling into work. She grunted a hello at Lily, the grief counselor, before heading to Trace to work on the Wise data.  
  
She spent most of the day pouring over data, trying to find the link she knew was there, even if no one else at the coroner's office could see it. But she'd know soon enough. If there was one thing she learned both in life and in college, crooks always screwed up somewhere- even the supernatural ones.  
  
*******  
  
A phone rang on the West Coast. "Yes?"  
  
"We might have a problem," said a female on the other end.  
  
"And why should I care?" he asked steely.  
  
"Because it's one of your pet projects gone bad. The Rogue Slayer that Angel got to," she retorted.  
  
"Oh, you mean the former intern at the LA County Medical Examiner's Office? What of her?"  
  
"She's here in Boston. There might be issues if she sniffs out our project here in Boston."  
  
"Not to worry," he reassured her. "I'll take care of it." He turned around, his eyes taking in the LA skyline. How was he supposed to juggle this one? He'd barely gotten Faith out of the LA ME's office in time. They had found her a little too easily this time. He'd have to tread lightly here.  
  
*******  
  
"We've got another one," Jordan said, as she hung up the phone. "This one's at her apartment. She's only a senior in college- pre med."  
  
"Ready whenever you are. You game, Nigel?" she asked, smirking for some reason he didn't know, but thought it would be fun to guess.  
  
"Always luv." he said with a wink and a grin.  
  
Jordan rolled her eyes. "I'll take my car. You two can take the van. I've got to call JD on the way in. Need to ask him about something."  
  
"Can do, J. See ya there," Faith said with a wave as she grabbed her equipment and headed to the garage.  
  
"J?" Nigel asked once they were on their way.  
  
"Oops. Haven't done that in a while. It's something I did in my teens and early on in college...tried to grow out of it. Damn; thought I'd at least gotten that bad habit kicked."  
  
"Oh and what other bad habits are you waiting to break?" he flirted.  
  
"Boinking cute British guys, for one," she said, the grin spreading over her face as she watched him raise an eyebrow in question.  
  
"Like us, eh?"  
  
"Well, some more then others. We're finally here. Don't know how you guys stand the traffic up here."  
  
"What? I've been to LA. I know how bad it is there," he said, as they started pulling out their kits in front of the apartment building.  
  
"Yeah, but at least it's warmer, so it's easier to deal with. I mean, it's June here, and I still feel like I'm freezing my ass off."  
  
Nigel couldn't help but take a peek, making her chuckle. "No, that very nice ass of yours is still there," he said, with a grin as they headed up the stairs.  
  
The first thing she saw when they got there was the splatter pattern on the far wall of the bedroom. She looked over at Nigel, grim faced. "Cleanup crew's gonna have fun with this one. But why are they connecting this one with Katrina Wise?"  
  
"Because she and Clarice Mays were good friends in college who kept in touch. Katrina was one of the reasons Clarice transferred up here last year. That and with Katrina only a year ahead of her in school, they had a lot of common interests," Woody explained, glancing over at the corpse on the bed. "Looks like she didn't take her friend's death well. We were actually supposed to talk to her today, see what she knew about her friend's internship with Wolfram & Hart," he said, looking at Faith a little strangely.  
  
"Well thank you, Detective," Jordan said briskly, pulling on a pair of latex gloves and motioning her team to get to work.  
  
*******  
  
Faith sat in on this autopsy. She'd seen quite a few out in LA, but she had a hunch this hadn't been a suicide, but more likely the law firm cleaning up loose ends for a web she couldn't see all the sides of yet. Garrett and Jordan verbally documented each cut and scrape, even down to the stippling around the gunshot wound. They swabbed her hands for gunshot residue, and that's when Faith noticed something. "Jordan, look at the trace under her nails," she said, bringing it to their attention.  
  
"Damn! Good job, but all I can say is it's good we bagged the hands," Jordan muttered, kicking herself mentally for such an elementary mistake.  
  
"Okay, now we've got a problem," Doctor Macy said gravely, after looking at a slide of the trace from under Clarice's nails. He turned to the two women, grim. "Why would skin cells and blood be under the nails of a supposed suicide victim- one we even have a supposed suicide note for?"


	3. Chapter 3

"Jordan, I want you, Nigel and Faith to go back over to that apartment and go through it with a fine toothed comb. And Jordan, no need to second guess yourself. Most examiners cut a couple of corners processing a suicide. It happens. Now go take care of it. I'll finish the autopsy," Macy ordered.  
  
Jordan flew down the corridor, yelling for Nigel.  
  
"What's with the commotion, luv?"  
  
"The Mays case? It just went from a suicide to murder," she informed him tersely as they headed downstairs.  
  
*******  
  
It was Faith who cursed and (carefully) slammed the doorjab. They'd come back to find the crime scene tape torn and the apartment ransacked. So they called Woody and waited for him before taking photos of everything and doing their best to process what was left of the scene. Nigel was the one who found the Palm Pilot hidden near the couch. But when they tried to access the data, they found it was password protected. So, instead of risking losing the data, they took it back and locked it in the evidence vault for the moment.  
  
*******  
  
"Look, you've tried to play with these figures for two hours since we got back. We know when they were both killed, and a general idea of where, but the rest will come with time. Now, how about you come out with me for a drink? I know a great out of the way pub not far from here," Nigel wheedled, trying to nag Faith into giving it a rest for the night. She'd worked really hard for her first week and a half that she'd been there, but Nigel knew that the evidence sometimes had a way of taking its own sweet time with connecting the dots. Faith sighed as she stretched before getting up. She admitted to herself that Nigel had a point and that coming back to look at it fresh tomorrow would probably do her a world of good.  
  
"Ok, I'll go, but I've gotta stop by my place first."  
  
"Sure," Nigel agreed with a shrug. "Do you want me to drive you?"  
  
"Nah, I'll be fine with mine. If you could give me directions to the place and I promise I'll be there as soon as I'm finished, 'kay?"  
  
*******  
  
"Look, Angel, just get Fred on it or something. These girls had more in common then just friendship, but damn if I know what it is. I just _know_ the connection's there! Look, I said I'd meet one of my coworkers for drinks after work, so I'll call you later, okay?"  
Quickly changing into burgundy leather pants and a halter top, she grabbed her bag with a couple stakes inside and headed out the door. She smirked remembering Angel's comment about her plans for the evening. **Be sure and have fun with your new friend** , he'd said with a chuckle. _And I definitely will_ , she thought as she caught sight of Nigel at a corner table. His eyes widened when he saw what she had on, then that heat was in his eyes- the kind of heat that said he knew why she'd worn that for him- was there and an answering thrum of lust throbbed through Faith's body in response.  
  
"So, have you ever had a Guinness poured right for you?" he asked as she sat down.  
  
"No, can't say I've ever had a Guinness at all. My tastes run more to bourbon and whiskey."  
  
"Well, I guess we'll have to change that now, won't we?" Nigel said with a grin as he signaled to the barkeep behind the bar.  
  
*******  
  
"So why Boston? I mean, I get that you were born here and all, but if it had had that kind of a draw on you as a kid, why did you leave here in the first place?"  
  
Faith was silent for a moment as she stared at her beer. "I didn't have much choice at the time. You could say it was my calling to head towards LA," she explained with an ironic chuckle. "What do ya say we go find somewhere to go dancing? I'm all juiced up and ready to go," she demanded, acting more lively then she felt. She knew the personal questions were bound to come up sooner or later, but she was hoping for more later then not.  
  
Nigel had a wicked glint in his eye. "Only if it gets to be the tango," he rejoined.  
  
"That could be arranged," she replied with a smirk, as she pulled him to his feet and they wandered out of the bar.  
  
*******  
  
Faith stood at the entry door of her home, looking well-fucked standing in the cool night air in only a large men's dress shirt. She smiled softly up at Nigel. "You don't have to go home, you know. I'm not that bad of a cook anymore."  
  
Nigel chuckled. "Wish I could, luv, but I need to get home, shower and change," he said, kissing her softly. Faith threaded her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss. But she stiffened and turned him around so that he was now the one in the doorway and she faced the street.  
  
" _Slayer_ " a voice hissed out of the darkness.  
  
"Stay here," she whispered against his mouth as she pulled a stake from the flower garden in the front yard.  
  
Nigel caught a glimpse of a nightmarish visage as Faith marched down the steps towards it, heedless of her state of undress.  
  
"You should have left things alone, Slayer. You used to help us. Why be a traitor to the evil you know is in your blood?" the vampire taunted as he advanced towards her.  
  
"I'm not that Faith anymore," she bit out as she flipped the vamp over her head and quickly staked him.  
  
She stalked back up the stairs, pulling Nigel in with her before double locking the door. She lead him into the living room, were she glared at her bra hanging off of the back of a chair. She walked over to the bar, poured him a double shot of whiskey, and shoved it into his numbless hands as she flipped open her cell phone. Pressing speed dial, she waited three rings before Wesley managed to pick up.  
  
"Hey, it's Faith. Get Angel on the phone," she demanded. "This is serious- someone's found me out already."  
  
"Who are you hiding from? What was that thing? And what's a slayer?" Nigel said, rapid fire, after gulping down Angel's 50 year old whiskey.  
  
Faith looked up from her pacing, a kind look on her face. "I'm sorry you got dragged into this. I'll explain what I can in a minute." She turned back to the phone. "Angel? We've got a situation. I'm thinking that someone snitched on our snitch. It's your call whether to pull him out or not, but he's not going to be much use if they kill him." She nodded at something Angel said. "No, not that soon, thank god," she responded, looking over at Nigel. "Might be able to help; don't know at this point. Look, I've got to go explain things to- yes, him. I'll call you tomorrow, okay? Take care and tell Cordelia I said hi."  
  
She walked back over, kneeling in front of the dark haired Brit. "Look, I didn't want you to find out about this part of my life this way, but what's done is done. That thing out there was a vampire. Yes, I know you guys had a suspected vamp case a couple of years ago, but this is the real deal. What this means is that Wolfram and Hart just showed us their hand- trying to send that vamp after me through you means that we've hit somewhere a little too close for comfort with them," she explained.  
  
"But the slayer bit- where's that come in?" he asked, still trying to take it all in.  
  
"I'm a Slayer- a girl born every generation destined to fight the forces of evil. I got a little sidetracked for a few years, but now, here I am, ready to help out the Powers That Be. I studied to be a Medical Examiner so I could help, but it's not going to do much good if you're gonna go blow my cover once we get back to work. Now, like I told Angel, we've got a snitch- either at the coroner's office, or in amongst the cops, so until I say you can't say anything yet about what you saw or heard tonight, okay?"  
  
"Sure, but how am I going to get home if these things are after me, as you claim?" Faith proceeded to give him a crash course in vampires and their habits- about invitations, holy water, and the like. Considering how early in the morning it was when she finished, she drove him home herself and brought him back, both of them agreeing that him spending the rest of the night in one of her guest rooms would work out more practically. Faith was sorely tempted to do a patrol and beat the information out of a few choice snitches, but knew she needed to be fully rested for work as well.


	4. Chapter 4

"Hey, Faith, Woody asked me to tell you to go see him when you got in this morning," Lily told her, handing her her missed message slips. Faith thanked her and turned back around, heading for the garage. She walked into the precinct, mentally prepared for what she'd known was coming after her visitor last night. Angel had warned her that Wolfram and Hart was nothing if not thorough. She soon found Woody, hunched over his desk, reviewing one of his cases. She leaned a hip up against it and cleared her throat. "You wanted to see me, Detective?"

"Yeah," he said tersely, grabbing a folder and pulling her into a side office, conveniently empty. He flipped open the folder and Faith caught a glimpse and smiled as he continued talking.

"I thought I'd heard of that law firm before, and Detective Simmons helped me with the information. Interesting when you said your friend Angel had dealings with them, because it says they hired you against him a few years ago. Care to explain that?"

"Am I being interrogated, Detective? I find that unlikely since, if you had access to that information, you'd see that it was once, nine years ago, and after I came to Angel with some of the information that they wanted to use against him, I became a police informant for them in that one case. Have any more questions? You can always call Captain Kate Lockley if you want- she'll tell you how I helped her with that case back when she was a detective," Faith informed him calmly, folding her arms and leaning against the wall to look at him. "Hoyt, I have nothing to hide. I have worked hard to atone for my sins, and I know I've still got a ways to go. But don't go behind my back again- Doctor Macy already knows about my past because I told him before he even hired me," she said, a little thin-lipped now. "Look, I've gotta get back to work, so if there's nothing else you've got for me, I have a couple dead bodies to deal with.

She stalked out, her color high, barely taking in the blond detective who seemed to do a double take, but Faith was a little too pissed with herself to care at the moment. Back in her SUV, she sat in the parking lot and pounded the steering wheel in frustration. Angel had more practice with this atonement shit then she did! He had warned her that it wasn't going to be easy, even if they could sidestep some of her juvenile record.

She shook her head as she started the vehicle and headed back to work. She had some serious work to do before Wolfram and Hart tried to cover up whatever she was on the brink of finding.

*******

She ran, dirty hair and clothes torn. She had a lot of potential- that's what all her teachers kept telling her. How was she to know it was all a lie? They'd deceived her so they could use her how they saw fit! She looked over her shoulder, fearful. She'd given them the slip last patrol they'd done, but she was smart enough to know they wouldn't be far behind once they discovered her not in her bunk.

She glanced around the alley, hazel eyes wide. She hadn't thought much about what she was really going to do once she got out, especially since the institute had worked hard to cut her off so that she'd have no one to really turn to. She choked back a sob as she continued to run. Was there no one out there to help her?

*******

"Aspirin- now!" Cordelia gasped out. Wesley ran for the medicine cabinet as Fred sat poised with pen and pad. Angel knelt by the couch, seltzer water in his hand and concern clear on his face.

"Cordy, what happened?"

"There's this girl...for some reason, it felt like she was a Slayer or something close to it. She's running from an Institute. But this is the most interesting part- she's in Boston," Cordelia informed them as she took the meds from Wesley.

"Okay," Fred said matter-of-factly as Wes came over to sit next to her. "Anything else we can tell Faith?"

"Her name is Elizabeth Franklin, and Faith needs to get to her fast. I get the impression this girl doesn't have much time 'til what she's running from catches up to her."

*******

"This is Faith. Hey Fred, how goes things? Yeah, sure. I've got pen and paper right her," she muttered into her cell. "Okay, I'll get right on it. Any luck tracing things back to the source on that other matter? No, didn't think so. All right. I hope Cordelia feels better soon."

Faith slammed the phone shut, grabbed the paper up off the stack and walked out of the lab, a determined air about her.

"So where you going in such an all fire hurry, luv?" Nigel quizzed as she bumped into him on her way to the garage.

"Just got a call from a friend of mine- a possible break in the case, you might say."

"Wonderful. I'll just tag along then," he said, growing resolute at the mullish look on her face. He leaned close to whisper in her ear as he steered them both into the elevator. "I'm sure it has something to do with vampires and/or Wolfram and Hart, so I might as well come along to be a steadying influence, wouldn't you say?"

"God, you sure are stubborn," Faith snapped, as he just stared at her, confident that what he was saying was nothing more then another truth she dreaded confronting. She knew he was right, but damn if she was going to admit it to him. "Fine, have it your way," she responded, unlocking her passenger door for him.

"Why not take mine? I've got more room to handle-" Nigel started as he caught sight of her pulling half a dozen stakes from behind her seat. "Never mind. I stand corrected."

*******

The SUV screeched to a halt in a parking lot near the warehouse district. Faith jumped out, scanning the horizon carefully, one hand on her knife that Buffy had been so kind to return to her. Not sensing anything untoward, she started inching toward a bundle off to the left of her. Nigel went to get out and and Faith hissed to him to stay in the vehicle. She crouched in front of the bundle, touching it gently. The woman inside leapt like a tiger, all energy and flying limbs.

"I won't let you take me back! I'll die first," she bit out, eyes blazing.

"Look, we're not here to hurt you. We're actually here to help," Faith soothed her. "We'll help keep you safe," she reassured the shaken girl as she led her to the back of the SUV. "Just lay down here in the back and relax. I'll get you to my house. You'll be safer there."


End file.
